Saturday, February 14, 2009

Wonder What's Going on...

...with this. King Abdullah "has sacked two powerful religious officials in a wide ranging shake-up of the cabinet and other government posts. One of the dismissed men was the head of the controversial religious police force. The other was the country's most senior judge. The King also appointed the country's first-ever female minister and replaced the head of the central bank. Correspondents say such government reshuffles are rare in Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah... has for a long time had the reputation of a reformer and the latest appointments have the makings of one of the biggest shake-ups in Saudi public life for many years." Interestingly enough this wasn't in either of our newspapers - but then, they are printed overnight and delivered at four in the morning. It will be front-page news tomorrow.

Could it be possible that I have been all wrong on some things - mainly the issue of women driving? Is King Abdullah that much of a mover and shaker reformer that perhaps women will actually be able to drive themselves to the mall or grocery store here, someday? There need to be strict rules in place before that can happen. First and foremost, NO veils. Too dangerous. Much, much too dangerous. For the rest of the drivers. Just think about it.... I digress.

Quite an interesting piece of news from this part of the world. I saw it at another prominent blogger's place first - but can't give credit where it is due - for good reason. And, for that I apologize. But, selfishly, I want to be able to visit that site again. Too many of the good ones get blocked, here.

About Me

Once upon a time, in the not too distant past, there was a Woman who thought she was living the American Dream. Her childhood, although now not particularly memorable, was fairly normal. She went to school. She got a job. She met a tall, blonde and handsome pilot and married him. It was all good. They were the perfect “Ken and Barbie” couple. The handsome pilot built her the house of her dreams in North Carolina, where she thought they would live for the remainder of their many, many days to come. Circumstances, totally out of the control of this lovely Ken and Barbie couple, changed everything. Shortly afterward, they came to find themselves living a whole new life in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Oh, sure, they are still the perfect “Ken and Barbie” couple, but Barbie now wears an abeyah over her designer outfits when she leaves her house, she has given up her pink convertible because she is not allowed to drive, and she no longer has an office that she visits five days a week, instead choosing to spend her time as a stay-at-home wife and an over-protective, doting Mommy to their two absolutely adorable, much loved and very, very pampered four-legged “Kids.”